I need new engine for my 1993 FXR. Old one is running good but I need some more power.
As I live behind the big water (Europe) the top priority is realiability.

Was thinking about:
1. New Evolution form H-D and some mods (heads, cam, ignition) - around 80HP quite cheap
2. Complete S&S engine - 96" or maybe even 113" - lots of HP expensive
3. Put in old frame TC engine (88" and build it to 95" or more)- 10% more HP than Evo cheap

Waht should I buy? Evo has proven raliability even overe here (where Harley are not so common) I know people with +60k miles on Evo (and still runs strong). Twin Cam is ugly, is also realiable as Evo or even more, easy upgrade to 95" but it is not an Evo

I have no experiences with S&S but their parts are high quality and usually everybody are happy with their S&S carbs, cams etc. but nobody (over here) have high mileage S&S engine. Just some customs/choppers wich travel long distances on trailer Any experiences with S&S engines?

 

Not sure if it is available to you over seas but Harley has the program where you send them your motor and the rebuild it back to factory specs. You get a brand new motor with warranty and keep the motor/bike original (if that is important to you).

I've been thinking of getting my EVO done before they discontinue it for the Evolution motors.

 

Here is the link with the details.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/C...p?locale=en_US

 

Thx. I know about Harley engine rebuild program. Option 1 is geting new engine from MoCo. then I would sell my oryginal (38k miles, still stock) engine and this way it would be even cheaper than rebuilding . Dealer overe here charges huge $$. When I bought first H-D I went to dealership to buy oil filter and they charged me 25$. that was my second and last purchase from them. First was Xl 1200 needle for my custom stage 1 I was waiting for this small part over a month... Now I buy direct in USA, cheaper and faster.

 

S&S has a very good reputation. As for Twin Cams, would you be happy with an engine that runs 30-40 degrees (fahrenheit) hotter than your Evo? And any new HD Twin Cam would have the very weak main engine bearing, the camshafts that run in holes in the aluminum case without benefit of bearings or bushings, etc.

 

MP I known your public enemy is new Twin Cam engine (no offence) . I know it runs hotter than Evo. I have in my garage 07 FXDWG and that b* after one minute on idyle has glowing pipes. But older Twin cams runs not so hot. I had `01 FXD and ZERO problems with it (sold it with 40k miles on the clock). Maybe it was running a little hotter than Evo but forme there is minimal difference (quite cold overe here). Performance also was good



But the Twinkie is the last option. I would prefer Evo style engine. The main advantage of TC is I could but TC engine trans, primary, starter, electrical stuff in the price of the 96" S&S (chrome and black).

Everybody talks about S&S realiability, reputation but personaly I don`t know a single person with some serious mileage on S&S engine. Even overe here (net) is hard to run acros bike with S&S engne and let say 50 k miles. this is why I`m asking....



*-bike

 

Hi Kamil,

We have corresponded by pm. It is true that S&S motors are expensive, but they come with a 2 or 3 year warranty, depending on which ignition system you buy. Here in the UK the support for any other brand of engine is weak and any warranty not so good. My S&S supplier is 200 miles away, but Matts Machine Shop is one of very few top S&S specialists outside the USA. He is on my doorstep compared with the US coast!

It is possible to buy any other brand of engine from a US dealer, but shipping costs, plus import taxes, can be very expensive for us Europeans. Ultima engines look very attractive and I tried to import one for a while, but the US dealers I approached let me down, so I gave up. Quite a few HDF members have reported problems with them and trying to get support from 3,000 miles (sorry, 5,000kms) away is what made me go for an S&S.

I found the price buying from Matt was much lower than buying the same engine from the US myself, also much closer to the cost of me importing any other brand of engine. So the greater cost of an S&S engine to me, over say an Ultima, was not as much as the US prices suggest.

I recommend either finding a local Harley specialist who can rebuild and tune your own engine, or an S&S specialist who can supply and fit a new engine. Be aware that S&S recommend using Mobil 1 V-twin oil, which is rare here in the UK and not easy to get hold of, as I am just discovering!

 

Just rebuild what you have when you need to.
38 K is not that much on a bike, and it should go another couple years easily I would say, unless it is smoking now.
Do the heads right and the top and bottom end on it, and you could get another 15-20 ponies out of her. A full stage 3 if you will.
I would think that would suffice. It would beat most Twin cams.
What does it have now for carb, cam, pipes, and ignition module and coil?

 

grbrown-> I got an price quote from local S&S dealer. They gave 2-3 years warranty (huge+), claim great realiability on S&S engines but for the price of black&chrome 96" S&S I could buy a 113" silver S&S in USA (and a can or two o wrinkle black paint ). The shipping etc. is no problem, i bought whole bike in USA (have a friend in NYC who will buy&ship for small fee). Even stock new Evo overe here is around 4000$.... Mobil1 is no problem I use full synthetic Motul 7100 20W50. It worked great in my XL, now in my old Evo (I`m a big fan of synthetic oils) so S&S would be also happy with this stuff.

lionsm13-> oryginal engine is running good, no problems at all (knock,knock). Odeometer says 38k miles but who knows how many miles it really have (maybe 138K?). New engine cost 2100$, build up by shop with good reputation (Hillside) will cost around 4k $ (ported heads, new ignition, Woods #6 cam). I could sell my old engine for around 2-2,5k $. So the complete stage 3 new engine will cost me around 2000$ Thats better deal than rebuild old engine top end for 1000$ and still have old crank, oil pump etc. Curently my bike is classic stage 1 - stock engine (as I think, don`t known what`s inside), new Mikuni HSR 42mm carb, K&N air filter, drag pipes (with small baffle to get back some middle range torque), stock ignition. Runs not bad it smokes rear tire on fast launch and lift front end (a little ). top speed is also good I could hit 5k RPM in fifth gear, but acceleration is not so great (especially from around 55mph to letsay 80 mph).

 

There is a company in Germany that builds a 203" for $25,000 and claim it fits in a stock frame. Have a look http://www.sculpturecycles.com/a-Engines-Dux.htm this should satisfy the HP junkie in all of us.